For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Popcord to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a Popcord Lightning cable, which is a portable cable that's designed to fit right on your keyring so it's always with you for charging emergencies.
The Popcord, which started out as a Kickstarter project, features a Lightning connector attached to a thick silicone body that loops over to fit into an aluminum cover that also doubles as a USB-A port. The resulting Lightning cable loop is compact and fits onto a keyring, belt loop, bag hook, or any similar accessory.
When you need to charge an iOS device, you can pull the Lightning connector out of the cover, plug it into an iOS device, and plug the other end into any USB-A port on a MacBook or charging adapter. It's a simple solution for when you need a Lightning cable in a pinch. Folded up, Popcord is about two and a half inches long, and extended, it measures in at almost five inches.
Priced at £29.00 or $40 (shipping included), Popcord is a bit expensive in a market crowded with similar keychain cable solutions, but it is MFi (Made for iPhone) certified, longer than most keychain solutions, and made from a thick, durable rubber that's also flexible. The Popcord comes in several colors, including red, green, white, and black.
We have 15 Popcords to give away to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our

iDevices today announced the launch of the latest product in its smart home lineup, the iDevices Instant Switch. The Instant Switch is a simple wireless wall switch that's designed to attach to a surface using adhesive, so there's no tricky installation required.
The Instant Switch, which was first announced at CES 2017, is designed to work with existing iDevices HomeKit products using a Bluetooth connection, providing an additional method of control. According to iDevices, the Instant Switch can be paired to a hard-wired iDevices Wall or Dimmer Switch to create a three or four-way control configuration, for example.
You can attach the Instant Switch to a wall or another surface using a 3M Command Strip, and it can be placed anywhere in the home. iDevices recommends using it in hard-to-reach locations, because no drilling or rewiring is required. A built-in user-replaceable battery is included, so power isn't needed.
If you don't want to use adhesive, the Instant Switch can also be fitted to any standard rocker faceplate because it's been designed to mimic a permanently installed light switch.
The new iDevices Instant Switch can be purchased from the iDevices website or Amazon.com for $34.95 starting

Shazam, which Apple is in the process of acquiring, was today updated to version 11.7.0, introducing several major new features.
When a song is Shazamed, the result is now displayed with the song's name and an image of the performing artist, rather than the previous cluttered interface with large links to YouTube, Apple Music, and more.
You can access additional information on a Shazamed song by tapping on the artist's image for details or by using the small bubble buttons displayed at the top and bottom of the app's redesigned track-result menu to get to Apple Music, lyrics, videos, and more.
On this same screen, there's a new one-tap "Add To" button that will automatically add a song to an Apple Music or Spotify playlist.
There's also a new Lyric Syncing feature, which is designed to display a song's lyrics in real time as the music plays in the Shazam app, highlighting each line right as it's sung.Your Shazams have a new look!
Once you've named that tune, you'll see a brand-new song page with the following features:
- Lyric Syncing: Belt it like you wrote it! With our new lyric-syncing, you'll see a song's lyrics in real time, enabling you to not just sing along to any song you Shazamed but finally master those words.
- Streamlined Results: Now when you Shazam a song, you'll get the results and one big photo of the artist behind it--perfect for focusing on the music you were looking to discover in the first place. For more info, simply tap on the artist photo.
- Everything In Its Right Place: We're excited to introduce an all-new track-result

Apple has renewed "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" for a second season, CBS CEO Les Moonves announced this afternoon (via The Hollywood Reporter). Positioned as Apple's second original TV show after "Planet of the Apps," "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" season 1 debuted last August.
"Carpool Karaoke: The Series" is based on the Carpool Karaoke segment made popular by "The Late Late Show With James Corden." Apple's TV show pairs up different celebrities, musicians, athletes, putting them together in a car to sing popular songs.
In season 1, featured celebrity pairings included Will Smith and James Corden; Miley, Noah, Billy Ray and the entire Cyrus family; Shakira and Trevor Noah; Game of Thrones stars Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams; Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith; John Legend, Alicia Keys and Taraji P. Henson; LeBron James and James Corden; and more.
"Carpool Karaoke: The Series" was developed by Apple as a way to promote its Apple Music service and to offer exclusive entertainment to Apple Music subscribers. The show aired each Tuesday on Apple Music, and past episodes can be viewed by Apple Music subscribers.
It is not yet clear when the second season of "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" might debut, but it could see an August launch much like the first

Apple today sent out a notice to developers letting them know that starting in April of 2018, all new apps submitted to the App Store must be built using the iOS 11 SDK, which is included in Xcode 9 or later.
Furthermore, Apple says that all new apps designed for the iPhone, including universal apps, must support the iPhone X's Super Retina display.
Update your version of Xcode to the latest release of Xcode 9 available on the Mac App Store, which includes the iOS 11 SDK, and build your apps. Starting April 2018, all new iOS apps submitted to the App Store must be built with the iOS 11 SDK. All new apps for iPhone, including universal apps, must support the Super Retina display of iPhone X.
With this requirement, Apple is aiming to encourage developers to adopt key features introduced in iOS 11, like Core ML, ARKit, new camera APIs, expanded SiriKit domains, and more, plus the company is making sure future apps will be fully compatible with the display of the iPhone X.
Apple will, for the time being, allow apps built using earlier SDKs to continue to be updated without switching over to the iOS 11 SDK, but at some point in the future, Apple is likely to require developers to use the iOS 11 SDK for app updates as well.
April 1, 2018 is also when Apple plans to stop accepting updates to watchOS 1 apps. All updates submitted after that date must be built using the watchOS 2 SDK or later, and all newly submitted apps must be built with the watchOS 4 SDK or

Apple has confirmed that a fix for a recently discovered bug that causes apps like Messages to crash on iPhone, iPad, and Mac has been included in iOS 11.3, macOS 10.13.4, watchOS 4.3, and tvOS 11.3, updates that are currently being beta tested ahead of a release this spring.
Furthermore, Apple told iMore's Rene Ritchie that the bug will also be addressed in an upcoming iOS update that will be released in the near future, ahead of iOS 11.3, so customers won't need to wait several weeks for a fix. Minor updates for other operating systems will likely come at the same time.
The bug, induced by sending a specific character in the Indian language Telugu, causes certain apps on iPhones, iPads, and Macs to freeze up and become unresponsive. Messages, Safari, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other apps that accept text input are all affected.
When the character is sent in an iMessage, for example, it can freeze up the entire Messages app on all of a person's Mac and iOS devices. The Messages app will then refuse to function properly until the offending character is removed by deleting the conversation with the person who sent it.
In some situations, if the character is viewed through an iOS notification, it can cause the entire device to crash, resulting in a re-spring or worse.
Apple users who have received a message with the character will, as mentioned above, need to delete the Messages conversation with the person who sent the character. Alternatively, installing the iOS 11.3 or macOS 10.13.4 betas will fix the

Following news that the HomePod leaves white rings on some wood surfaces treated with oil or wax, Pad & Quill has designed and debuted new Leather Coasters that are meant to be used with the HomePod.
Available in two colors, Whiskey and Chestnut, the 4-inch HomePod Coasters are made with full-grain leather and offer a soft leather backing.
Pad & Quill's new coasters will prevent the rings that occur on some wood furniture due to a chemical reaction between the wood and the silicone used for the vibration-dampening base of the HomePod.
The coasters will also work with other speakers that include similar silicone bases and also leave white marks on surfaces, such as the Sonos One, but the coaster's size and shape were designed with the HomePod in mind.
The new Leather HomePod Coasters can be purchased from the Pad & Quill website starting today for $19.95. Orders will begin shipping out next week.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Pad & Quill and may earn commissions on purchases made through links in this article.

The HomePod's silicone base can leave white rings on some wood surfaces that have an oil or wax finish, a problem that Apple yesterday said was "not unusual." As it turns out, Apple wasn't incorrect -- the Sonos One, a competing smart speaker, also leaves white rings on furniture.
Tom's Guide reviewer Mike Prospero read about the HomePod causing rings on furniture yesterday and went to check his wood cabinet, where he did indeed discover a ring caused by the HomePod. But next to it, he found smaller square shaped marks, which had been caused by the Sonos One located near the HomePod.
Image via Tom's Guide When I got home, I saw a large white ring, a telltale indication that the HomePod's silicone base had messed up the finish. But, as I was inspecting the damage, I noticed a series of smaller white marks near where the HomePod was sitting.
A closer inspection revealed that the Sonos One speaker, which also has small silicone feet, had made these marks on my cabinet. Looking around the top of the cabinet, I noticed a bunch of little white marks, all left from the Sonos Ones as I moved them around. So, they will damage your wood furniture, too. We're awaiting comment from Sonos.Like the HomePod, the Sonos One has a silicone base with four small feet. It doesn't make a ring as prominent as the ring caused by the HomePod, but it does appear to cause the same marks.
White rings became a topic of discussion yesterday morning after independent reviews from Pocket-lint and Wirecutter pointed out the marks the HomePod left on oiled or waxed furniture. After the issue

Gamevice today announced the launch of a new Minecraft-themed controller bundle, which comes with a standard Gamevice controller, a Gamevice carrying case, and a code to download Minecraft on iOS.
For those unfamiliar with Gamevice, the company makes gaming controllers designed for the iPhone and the iPad. Gamevice controllers wrap around an iOS device, offering access to a d-pad, two joystick, and buttons to allow gamers to play iOS games with physical controls.
The Minecraft version of the Gamevice works with iPhone 6, 6s, 7, 7s, 8, and X models, along with Plus versions of those devices. At $89.95, the Minecraft bundle is $10 more expensive than the standard Gamevice controller, but the Minecraft iOS code is worth $6.99 and the carrying case is an added bonus."Minecraft is one of the greatest games of all time and playing Minecraft with Gamevice puts mobile players on equal ground with PC and console players. said Phillip Hyun, CEO, Gamevice. "Gamevice offers low latency and precision control, delivering a console quality experience to more than one thousand different games including Mojang's masterpiece."The Gamevice controllers, Minecraft controller included, work with more than 1,000 iOS games, including several games that have been optimized for iPhone X.
The Gamevice Minecraft Bundle can be purchased starting today from

It costs Apple an estimated $216 in raw components to build the HomePod, which sells for $349, according to research conducted by TechInsights and shared by Bloomberg.
Internal components like the microphones, tweeter, woofer, and power management chips cost Apple an estimated $58, while smaller components like the lighting system used for Siri and other animations cost $60. The A8 chip, which powers the speaker's spatial awareness, Siri features, sound adjustments, and other smart features, costs an estimated $25.
TechInsights believes the external housing and other exterior components add up to $25, while manufacturing, testing, and packaging cost an additional $17.50.
At $216 for parts and a $349 selling point, the HomePod brings in less money for each device sold than other Apple products like the iPhone. The $999 iPhone X, for example, uses components estimated to cost $357.50, and the entry-level iPhone 8 costs Apple an estimated $247.51 to make but sells for $699.
HomePod also has a smaller profit margin than competing speaker products from other companies. TechInsights says that while the HomePod has a profit margin of 38 percent based on component costs, the Google Home and Amazon Echo have margins of 66 and 56 percent, respectively. Both of those speakers use less expensive components and were not created with sound quality as the primary focus.
"Apple is compressing their margins a bit, wanting to go big or go home," said Al Cowsky, TechInsight's costing manager. "In doing so, I suspect they reduced the selling price from a normal Apple margin in

iOS 11 introduced handy new drag and drop features on the iPad, that let you drag photos, files, links, and more between apps. What you might not know, though, is that drag and drop also works for blocks of text.
Instead of copying and pasting text on the iPad, you can select a block of text and then drag it right into another app using the drag and drop features.
Here's how:
Select a line or paragraph of text, making sure it's highlighted.
Hold a finger on the highlighted text until it pops off the page.
Drag the resulting text bubble into a new app.
In apps like Messages, where you can't highlight text, all you need to do is hold down and drag, skipping the selection step.
In addition to moving text between apps, drag and drop is also useful for copying and rearranging blocks of texts within a single app, like Notes or Pages.
You can also use this drag and drop feature with text on the iPhone, but only within the same app, rather than between two apps. The procedure on the iPhone is the same: simply select text and then hold down until it pops up into a little bubble that can be moved elsewhere within the

Days after the HomePod was released, there are still some new HomePod owners who are unable to use their new speakers due to HomeKit and Wi-Fi-related setup errors.
Because it's controlled entirely through Apple's Home app, HomePod connects to HomeKit and relies on a functional HomeKit setup to function properly. Based on reports on Reddit, the Apple Support Communities, and the MacRumors forums, there are a handful of different errors people are running into.
The most common issue seems to be error -6722 or a blank white screen when setting up HomePod, caused by a bugged HomeKit setup. According a HomePod troubleshooting document Apple published this week, there are several possible fixes for the issue.
Image via AppAdvice
First and foremost, devices need to be running the latest version of iOS (iOS 11.2.5 or iOS 11.3 if you're on a beta) and both the Music and Home apps need to be installed on your device. HomePod also requires both two-factor authentication and iCloud Keychain to be turned on.
If these settings are enabled and you're still seeing the error message and a screen in the Home app that says "Loading Accessories and Scenes," Apple says to let the Home app load for 30 minutes or longer until an option to erase and reset app comes up. It's not immediately clear that you need to run the app for so long to get to that erase option, so make sure to leave it open and running for the full period of time to get to the reset menu.
We had our own issues here at MacRumors, and one of our HomePod setups wasn't fully functional. We weren't running into

Apple today updated its online store for refurbished products in the United States to add a selection of Apple Watch Series 3 models, marking the first time Apple's newest wrist-worn device has been available from the refurbished store since its September 2017 release.
As of the writing of this article, there are two refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 GPS-only models available at a $50 discount, which equates to 13 to 15 percent off of the regular price. No LTE models or models with stainless steel or ceramic cases are available at this time.
A 38mm Gold Aluminum Apple Watch Series 3 with Pink Sand Sport Band is available for $279, down from $329, and Apple also has a 42mm Space Gray Aluminum model with Black Sport Band available for $309, down from $359.
The Apple Watch Series 3, first introduced last September alongside new iPhones, is the first Apple Watch model to offer an option for LTE connectivity. Compared to earlier Apple Watch versions, the Series 3 also comes equipped with a faster dual-core S3 processor and an Apple-designed W2 chip for 85 percent faster Wi-Fi
Apple Watch Series 3 refurbished stock is limited at this time, but Apple refreshes available units on a regular basis, so it's worth keeping an eye on the refurbished store if you're looking for a discount on a particular model.
All of Apple's refurbished products go through a rigorous refurbishment process before being offered for sale, which includes inspection, repairs, cleaning, and repackaging. Refurbished Apple Watch models come with a one-year warranty that can be extended with an Ap

Twelve South today announced the launch of a new SurfacePad case for the iPhone X, expanding its popular SurfacePad design to Apple's latest flagship iPhone.
The SurfacePad is a folio-style case, but rather than being bulky like most cases with this design, it's ultra thin because it attaches to the back of an iPhone using Twelve South's "SurfaceGrip" technology.
Basically, SurfaceGrip is an adhesive that lets you remove and reapply the SurfacePad to the iPhone X over and over again without losing tackiness.
The SurfacePad offers front and back protection with its leather back and microfiber-lined leather cover, which also happens to have slots to hold two credit cards. A cutout at the back leaves the camera exposed so there's no interference with taking pictures, and the sides and bottom of the device are also left uncovered.
Like all SurfacePad cases, the SurfacePad for iPhone X's cover can be folded back and arranged into a stand for the device.
Twelve South has added a few features that are exclusive to the iPhone X, including automatic sleep/wake functionality when opening or closing the front flap and a new full-grain leather that Twelve South says will last longer and will develop a rich patina.
The SurfacePad for iPhone X is available in black, cognac, and deep teal, with the latter two being colors unique to iPhone X. It can be purchased for $49.99 from the Twelve South website.

Apple's annual shareholders meeting took place at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park this morning, with shareholders gathering to vote on proposals and ask questions of Apple executives.
Apple does not live stream its shareholders meetings, but several members of the press, such as CNET's Shara Tibken and Business Insider's Kif Leswing, were at the event and shared details on what was covered on Twitter.
Image via Shara Tibken
Much of the meeting was spent discussing shareholder proposals, several of which were routine proposals direct from Apple for re-electing the board of directors, compensating executives, appointing Ernst & Young LLP as Apple's public accounting firm, and approving the non-employee Director Stock Plan. All of these passed with more than 95% approval.
Two proposals from shareholders, one that asked Apple to implement more relaxed rules for letting shareholders nominate directors to the board and another asking Apple to form a human rights commission were defeated. 32 percent of shareholders voted in favor of the first, while just 5.6 percent voted in favor of the second.
During a Q&A session, and during the proposal discussion portion of the shareholders meeting, Apple CEO Tim Cook made a few interesting comments worth highlighting, though much of what was said was a repeat of comments made during Apple's Q1 2018 earnings call earlier this month.
- iPhone X customer satisfaction is at 99%.
- Apple's wearables business, which includes AirPods, Beats, and Apple Watch, is "approaching" the size of a Fortune 300 company. Earlier this

Apple is developing a new drama series that's based on the early life and career of NBA star Kevin Durant, who plays for the Golden State Warriors, reports Variety.
The show, called "Swagger," was inspired by Durant's experiences as a youth playing basketball. It will highlight the world of Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball, taking a look into the lives of players, their families, and coaches.
Imagine Television, led by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, will produce alongside Kevin Durant's Thirty Five Media. Both Durant and Grazer will serve as executive producers, while Reggie Rock Bythewood will write and direct. Bythewood is known for his work on "Notorious," a movie that shared the story of Notorious B.I.G., and television series "Shots Fired."
Apple now has at least 10 television shows in the early stages of development, including an untitled morning show drama starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, an "Amazing Stories" reboot from Steven Spielberg, an untitled space drama from Battlestar Galactica creator Ronald D. Moore, a series written by "La La Land" creator Damien Chazelle, a Kristen Wiig comedy series, See, an epic world-building drama, Home, a docuseries focusing on incredible homes, and "Little America," an anthology series from "The Big Sick" creators Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon.
More details about each of Apple's television projects can be found in the original content section of our Apple TV roundup.

Facebook has started promoting the Onavo VPN client it acquired back in 2013 directly within the Facebook app for iOS devices. A link to the Onavo VPN client is available in the Facebook app in the United States under a new "Protect" section of the Facebook navigation menu.
To get to it, tap on the hamburger menu in the right hand side of the app, and then scroll down. "Protect" features a blue icon with a shield, and when you tap on it, it links to the Onavo VPN app in the iOS App Store.
As TechCrunch points out, while Onavo offers to "keep your data safe while you browse" and let you know when you "visit potentially malicious or harmful websites," Facebook's real aim with Onavo is tracking user activity across multiple different apps to learn insights about how its customer base uses third-party apps.But Facebook didn't buy Onavo for its security protections.
Instead, Onavo's VPN allow Facebook to monitor user activity across apps, giving Facebook a big advantage in terms of spotting new trends across the larger mobile ecosystem. For example, Facebook gets an early heads up about apps that are becoming breakout hits; it can tell which are seeing slowing user growth; it sees which apps' new features appear to be resonating with their users, and much more.In August of last year, The Wall Street Journal took a look at how Facebook uses Onavo to track what people do on their smartphones outside of the Facebook ecosystem. Using Onavo data, for example, Facebook was able to determine that the Instagram Stories feature was impacting Snapchat's business well ahead of

Facebook in October introduced a new feature designed to let publishers sell subscriptions to their news sites directly on Facebook, but the social network could not work out a deal with Apple, preventing the news subscription options from being available on Facebook for iOS.
At issue was Apple's demand for its standard 30 percent cut of any subscription revenue brought in through the Facebook iOS app, while Facebook wanted all money to go to publishers.
At today's Code Media event, Facebook executive Campbell Brown said the dispute with Apple had been resolved, which means the subscription service tool will launch on iOS devices on March 1.
Brown did not provide details on the deal that Facebook and Apple worked out, so it is not clear if Apple will be taking a standard 30 percent cut, a lower cut, or no cut at all.
Facebook's news service does not offer subscriptions purchased directly on Facebook, but instead redirects customers to sign up for a subscription on the publisher website once the article limit has been reached.
Publishers have asked Facebook to change the number of free articles Facebook users can view without a subscription from 10 to 5, a change Facebook will also implement starting on March

Apple is expanding discounted student memberships for Apple Music to 82 additional markets, making half price subscriptions available in nearly all regions where the Apple Music streaming service is available.
According to iMore's Rene Ritchie, student discounts are available in 79 new regions as of today, with an additional three to be added on February 26. New countries where Apple Music discounts are available for students include Israel, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, and Taiwan.
A full list of countries where student memberships can be purchased should is available on Apple's Apple Music availability page. You can also see if your country supports discounted Apple Music subscriptions by checking on the UNiDAYS website.
First introduced in 2016, Apple Music memberships for students cut the normal price of Apple Music in half. In the United States, this means the regular $9.99 Apple Music subscription is priced at $4.99 for students.
To qualify for discounted pricing, students must be enrolled in an eligible college or university. Student eligibility is determined and verified through UNiDAYs, a student validation service.
UNiDAYS confirms that Apple Music subscribers are enrolled in a degree-granting program before allowing customers to get the discounted subscription price.
Customers who subscribe to Apple Music with a student subscription will need to confirm their status on a regular basis through UNiDAYS. Subscribers who are no longer students or who have had student pricing for a total of 48 months will be switched over to a full

Instagram is testing a new feature that will send an alert whenever you take a screenshot of a story, effectively putting an end to the practice of covertly taking screenshots of the temporary story posts on the social network.
News of the new feature was shared on Twitter by a user who posted an image of a screenshot warning message. Instagram plans to offer a one-time warning letting screenshotters know that subsequent screenshots or screen recordings will be visible to the person who posted the story.
Image via Twitter user Mulan
The feature is being tested with a small number of users. Participants can see who took a screenshot of their story by going to the list of story viewers and checking to see if there are camera icons next to any of the names. A flash icon denotes a user who took a screenshot.
Instagram does not plan to send out notifications when a screenshot of a story is captured, but it will be visible in the list of people who viewed the story.
PSA: How you get notified on Instagram when someone took a screenshot of your Stories pic.twitter.com/Iua2QeyskF— iz reading On the Edge of Scandal 🍑 (@readbyher) February 11, 2018
Instagram confirmed to TechCrunch that the feature is in testing right now: "We are always testing ways to improve the experience on Instagram and make it easier to share any moment with the people who matter to you."
It's not yet clear if and when Instagram will officially introduce this

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